The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM party) has called for total rejection of the Finance Bill 2023.
The party through its Twitter handle on Saturday noted that the bill which has since attracted a lot of debate across the country has a lot of proposals that should not be allowed to be passed as it is.
“The Finance Bill 2023 is bad in totality,” the party said.
“Besides the controversial three percent housing levy being imposed on Kenyan workers, there are many other bad proposals in the bill that should not see the light of the day,” it added.
This comes even as activist Okiya Omtatah and four others on Friday moved to court to challenge the bill.
In the petition, they argue that the bill is a threat to human dignity and socio-economic rights that will result from the high cost of essential products that will ensue if it becomes law.
“Pending hearing and determination the court be pleased to issue orders suspending debate on sections 28,30 33,36 and 76 of the Finance Bill 2023,” reads court papers.
It is their argument that the proposed approach is coercive and limits the options which individuals have in choosing their housing plans or how to use their property.
President William Ruto during his Madaraka Day speech expressed satisfaction with the debate being generated by the bill.
The President said the bill has changed the national discourse in the country from political and ethnic discussion that had been witnessed in the country in the recent past.
“There is a robust debate on the Finance Bill taking place very where in this country, churches, social places formal and informal workplaces, all media platforms and busy as well as in urban and rural gathering,” Ruto said.
“For weeks now the debate has remained issue-oriented and there is no hint of divisive ethnic rhetoric at all,” he added.
